In the Arms of an Angel

THIS IS UNFINISHED. This story is under construction...

 

On January 5th of 1998, at the age of six, I died.

My name was Loraine Jenkins.

There is little I can remember about my old life, but I do remember my death.

It was night, the world lit by a full moon. I was awakened by the front door creaking open, a figure creeping past my bedroom. Standing on tiptoe, opening my door a crack, I peered out, watching as a man opened the silverware drawer, rummaging through it.

I was young and curious; I did not understand the danger.

I opened my door all the way, toddling out towards him. He wore a ski-mask and a black outfit, gloved hands as to not leave fingerprints.

“Who are you?” I murmured sleepily, raising my hand to rub my eyes.

He whirled around, a knife in his hand, and plunged it into my tiny chest.

I didn’t register the pain at first �" I was too fascinated by the silver hilt attached to my front.

Blood began to slowly stain my nightgown, stark against the blue of the fabric.

“Sorry kid,” He grunted, sliding the blade out of my flesh.

I fingered the stained garment, my hands shaking. The world spun sharply; I fell to the wooden floor.

A hand took mine, a soothing voice comforting me.

***

That was thirteen years ago. I am now nineteen.

I live in Nevae, the Fourth Dimension.

There are seven dimensions.

The first is an unknown wasteland filled with spirits who refuse to leave the Earth.

The second is of pen and paper, the written word, the imagination of men and women. Dreams are born there.

The third is Earth, a world of living breathing people filled with wonder…and darkness.

The fourth is my world, Nevae. It is the realm of the Guardians.

You might call us ‘angels’

The fifth is paradise, heaven, the land of our Creator, our leader, our Lord.

The sixth is what you might call ‘hell’, a place of eternal fire and damnation.

I sit now, atop a pillar, overlooking the dreamscape that is Venendoa Valley; I am proud to call it home.

Unfurling my wings, I let the wind catch in them, my feet leaving the stone surface of the column.

My name is Iris, and I am a Guardian.

The one who was different

His face was soft and peaceful, dirty blonde hair mussed up from tossing and turning upon his pillow.

His breath was soft and gentle, bare chest rising and falling ever so slightly.

I found a sigh escaping my lips as I watched him, Cain Davis, my assignment.

Stay on task.... My teacher's voice intruded my thoughts.

Vivian was her name, a Guardian Leader who was over two hundred years old.

Pushing her anxious conscious aside, I leaned down to place a gentle ethereal kiss on Cain's forehead.

He shivered reflexively, drawing his bed covers around him in his sleep.

I giggled, raising my hand to my mouth.

I always did this to handsome human boys. I had no idea, however, that this one would be different.

Closing my eyes, I entered the world of his mind, a landscape filled with strange creatures and stray thoughts - the mind of a dreaming human.

The sky was stained a dark red, a sign that there was a demon lurking here.

Drawing my blade, I crept through tall purple grass towards a building crafted of glass. Cain had a very interesting imagination.

A white doe followed by a black panther bounded across my path, the cat snarling as it passed.

Cain himself sat inside the pavilion of glass, weeping silently. His tears were of blood, red liquid splashing onto his white shirt.

The demon was hiding behind a silver boulder, watching him with pitch black eyes, a cruel smile revealing its sharp pointed teeth.

Now for the tricky part. I had to determine what kind of demon this was. Perhaps Cain’s girlfriend broke up with him and he was suffering from grief. Another option was an abusive family, or a bully at school.

By the looks of the foul creature, I saw that it was heartache and loneliness, its thin gaunt body showing its heart beating through its taut red skin. It looked at me, its pointed ears flying up in alarm.

"Hello you little imp," I hissed, flashing my silver blade burning with holy fire in its direction.

It screeched in terror, running for the boy. I beat my wings, propelling myself after the demon - I had to reach Cain before him.

Cain dried his bloody tears on his shirt, looking up in shock. No.....It wasn't possible. Humans couldn't see Guardians and demons, even if they tried.

But truth be told, Cain Davis was watching our battle with wide terrified eyes.

I could only hope that he would wake up soon and think it was all just a dream - which, it was, in a way.

I grabbed the demon's scrawny back leg raising my sword to slice it off.

For a creature of the sixth dimension, it wasn't very strong.

Unfortunately, that thought was quickly replaced as the imp whirled around, clamping its sharp little teeth in my arm.

I screamed reeling back in pain as its poison seeped into my veins, my own silver blood spilling onto the ground.

My sword had landed a few feet away in the grass.

I lunged towards it, falling short as the demon grabbed my foot. I fell on my front, my fingers scrabbling for the hilt.

A shadow fell across me. I looked up to see Cain, who bent down to pick up the sword, offering it to me hilt first.

This had never happened before. Humans and Guardians did not, could not, interact.

But my eyes did not deceive me. I took the sword, twisting my body to arc the blade in the air, slicing the creature in two halves. It exploded into a cloud of red dust with an earsplitting scream.

I fingered my wound, rising to my feet.

"Who are you?" Cain whispered.

I looked at him, examining the blood stained upon his cheeks. Poor thing - what a terrible nightmare this must be for him.

I figured I might as well tell him the truth.

It was no use lying to him now, "Iris," I murmured.

The dream world began to fade - Cain was waking up.

"Wait! Don't go!" He cried, reaching out to me as the purple grass disappeared, the sky fading to black, the ground dissipating beneath our feet.

Vivian's angry voice filled my head. I clutched my skull in agony as her rage overtook my every cell.

WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!

Evangeline

I burst out of the Chamber, beating my wings frantically to escape Vivian's rage. She was still screaming at me as I took to the air, the tiny skyisland the Chamber was built on falling away beneath me.

Clouds tinged with pink whipped past me, my pale blue hair flying in my face, making it difficult to see.

I paused in my flight, hovering for a moment as I tied my hair back with a white sash which I had been wearing as a bracelet.

My white dress billowed outwards in the breeze, a circle of ivory beneath me.

I smiled at absolutely nothing at all, continuing my flight over the valley.

A familiar voice called up to me from a nearby skyisland. I grinned when I saw that it was Evangeline, one of my only friends.

Guardians were normally solitary creatures who only met to mate, but Evangeline and I shared something akin to sisterhood.

I had met her the day she almost fell off the skyisland she called home. After saving her, she begged me to visit her. Evangeline was wingless, an outcast, forbidden to enter the Chamber. As if she could reach it anyway.

When a Guardian loses his or her wings, often times they are prone to loneliness.

So I agreed, visiting her whenever I could.

I alighted on the island, my vast wings stirring up clouds of dust from the dry soil.

“So, how did it go?” She asked me, her bright amber eyes shining in the dim light of dusk.

“Not good,” I murmured, wandering into the small cluster of dogwood trees behind her.

Their pink blossoms shed tiny petals, falling ever so gently to the forest floor.

“What do you mean?” She frowned, sitting down upon a grey slab of granite that served as a chair.

I sighed, turning to face her, “The boy saw me. I don’t know how, or why. But he saw me,” I stammered, reaching up to absently braid my hair. Braiding things calmed me down for some odd reason.

“Oh,” Her eyes grew wide in shock.

I sat down in the moss, tucking my legs beneath me. My braid was almost finished, the blue strands sliding easily into place.

I had always envied Evangeline’s gorgeous golden hair. I wondered for a moment what color her wings had been �" had they too been the glorious gold color that outshone my pale blue?

“There’s something about him,” I murmured, breaking the silence, “He wasn’t afraid of me,”

Evangeline laughed, “To him, you are a gorgeous girl with wings �" an angel. Of course he wasn’t afraid of you!”

I glared at her, letting my braid hang against my cheek. An awkward silence gathered once more. The only sound to be heard was the far off coo of a dove from the top of an old oak.

“I want to go back,” I gasped as the words left my mouth, my hand flying up to prevent any more thoughts from escaping.

Evangeline raised an eyebrow, “Oh really? Falling for a human are we?”

I sighed, untwisting my braid, “I don’t know, Evangeline. There’s something different about him,”

She nodded, rising from her seat upon the granite slab.

“Then go to him,”

I looked up at her in shock, “I can’t go to the Chamber, I have to wait till my next assignment,”

I didn’t like the mischievous gleam in Evangeline’s eyes, “We can go in the dead of night, no one will know,”

I shook my head firmly, standing to meet her gaze, “No, that would be breaking the Law,”

She met my eyes, “This is for love,”

I laughed, “Love? I don’t even know him,”

She grabbed my hand, smiling, “Then get to know him,” She dragged me through the trees, laughing blissfully.

I found myself letting go, chasing after her, a few spare feathers fluttering to the ground as tree branches slapped my wings.

The mystery of Cain Davis could wait. I was having too much fun to dwell on irrelevant humans.

I would soon come to realize Cain wasn’t as irrelevant as I thought.

Midnight Chamber

The Chamber seemed hollow and empty without the usual chatter of Guardians. There always seemed to be at least one newbie hopping up and down with excitement as their teacher activated the portal, ripples spreading across the surface of the sapphire liquid.

The portal in the center of the stone floor was now still, the water unmoving in the light of the silver moon. I walked towards it cautiously, my bare feet making no noise upon the flagstones.

Evangeline ran ahead of me, falling to her knees beside the pool. I shuddered involuntarily as I caught sight of the bloody stumps protruding from her shoulder blades. It was all that was left of her wings.

"It's so strange to see the portal like this," She murmured, reaching out a hand experimentally to touch the water.

I moved to stop her, my mouth opening to utter a cry, but her slender finger touched the surface of the liquid, tiny ripples spreading across the surface.

A rough image of the planet Earth appeared for a fraction of a second before fading away into darkness.

Evangeline clasped a hand to her mouth in shock, "I thought only the teachers could do that!"

I knelt next to her, "Apparently the teachers tell lies," I murmured, reaching out as she had done.

I slapped my hand on the water roughly, large ripples causing the water to splash over the sides. Concentrating, I tried to make the image change, to show me where I wanted to go.

The Earth fell into focus once more, becoming closer and larger, filling the surface of the round pool. It spun slowly, displaying the mountains and grass, the city lights gleaming on the dark side of the planet.

"There!" I whispered loudly, pointing to the country known as America.

It expanded, displaying the city in which Cain Davis lived. It was San Francisco in all its glory. The defining red bridge stood out like a sore thumb amongst the grey and silver buildings.

I turned to Evangeline, "I must go in full form,"

Her eyes grew wide, glittering like gold in the dim light, "No! It could kill you!"

I shrugged off this bitter fact, staring into the portal with determination, "I am already dead to the world,"

Evangeline rested a hand on my shoulder, "Not this world,"

Looking back at her for the last time, I smiled gently. I would miss my friend greatly. "I will return. You can count on it. Wait for me?"

She nodded, biting her lip. It showed her dedication - the wingless that remained in the Chamber, either talking to old friends or loitering, were often harassed and belittled.

We embraced, my wings wrapping around her frail form, "You will always be my best friend, Evangeline," I murmured, breaking away from her.

Her gaze drifted to my wings which were spread out behind me, "And you will be mine," Amber eyes flicked to my own, "Iris,"

I had to leave. If I did not, I would have second thoughts and never step into the portal.

Turning around, I dipped my foot into the water. It grabbed my leg, pulling me under. The water closed around my head, the familiar comforting feeling that I was almost drowning caused my heart to flutter anxiously in my chest.

Night became day and the angel became mortal.

The Fallen Angel

I was falling.

Storm clouds raced past me, lightning lacing the sky with jagged lines. The rain appeared to be rising up from the ground all around me. It told me how fast I was falling.

I opened my wings, trying to slow my descent. The city lights below me were growing larger by the second, tall buildings jutting up from the ground, coming into focus.

The wind tore at my wings, my back aching from the effort. My body felt heavy and solid instead of the ethereal lightness I possessed in Nevae.

My wings snapped sharply, bone splintering. I screamed as I turned over in the air, blood flying past me, up into the sky above.

I turned over and over, the wind and the rain whipping my dress around my legs. The ground rose up to meet me, my back crashing upon the ground. My wings felt brittle and injured, pressed into the soggy muddy ground beneath me.

Dark splotches drifted across my vision, rain splashing onto my face. Light spilled across the grass, a voice crying out.

I couldn't make out the words, my head was throbbing too much. A figure stood over me, pointing down with a shaking finger, screaming in terror.

I rolled over, bracing my hands on the ground, trying desperately to stand. The person only yelled louder at this, now having a full view of my broken tattered wings.

My limbs could not support me. I fell onto the ground, my cheek pressed into the damp wet Earth.

The darkness closed over me, comforting me, lulling me to sleep. The sleep dulled the pain, numbing my already cold and quaking body. I sighed with relief as the screaming ceased. There were murmurs and frantic talking, hands touching my face, smoothing my hair. Someone threw a blanket over me, lifting me from the ground.

I lost all consciousness, unaware of what they would do next.

Underwear

I awoke.

There were walls all around me, suffocating walls which closed me off from the sky and the stars.

I pulled the blanket I found draped over me close to my chest, finding comfort in its soft warmth.

A clock ticked away, the clock itself unseen. The room I found myself in was a living room, a television in one corner, a couch in the other.

I was lying on the couch.

I struggled to sit up, my back and wings stinging with pain. When I finally could, I saw that my blood had seeped into the upholstery of the couch, staining it.

A door creaked open. I clutched at the blanket once more, screwing my eyes shut in fear.

A boy entered the room. It was Cain.

Of all front lawns to crash land on, I had managed to fall onto Cain’s.

He stood there, staring at me with a mixture of fear and wonder, studying my broken bloody wings which hung on either side of me.

Neither of us spoke for quite some time. I was just as fascinated to see him in the flesh as he was of me.

Only in his dream had we met.

I touched the healing wound on my arm where the demon had bitten me. Wounds of the mind affect the body, Vivian had once said.

“Hello Iris,” Cain broke the silence with those simple words, walking towards me, unafraid.

I scooted back into the couch, my knuckles turning white as I clutched the blanket.

He sat next to me, his eyes never leaving my wings.

“Does it hurt?” He murmured, worry spreading across his face.

I reached up with one hand, tucking my hair behind my ear, “Yes,”

He opened his mouth to say something, but shut it just as quickly, turning away.

I turned away as well. I focused on trying to fold my wings against my back, but to no avail. The bones were shattered; no amount of muscle could move them. I had to bind them before they healed that way �" I would be unable to fly if I did not.

I turned back towards Cain who was examining the bloody stain my wings had left on the couch.

“Do you have a first aid kit?” I may be a Guardian, but I did know a few human terminologies. One of which being ‘first aid kit’.

He nodded, standing to get it.

I sat alone in the living room while he had departed to search for it.

I was on Earth. I had made it to the greatest skyisland in the universe.

Cain returned with a white box, a red cross on its surface.

I stood, holding out my hand for it.

He shook his head, “You won’t be able to do it yourself. Let me help,”

I sighed reluctantly.

Finding that my left hand was still holding onto the blanket for dear life, I dropped it.

Cain motioned for me to follow, exiting the living room.

We entered a hallway with pictures along the walls. They depicted Cain and his family.

I studied them with curiosity.

I had only seen a few human photographs before. Usually the only area of the house I enter in my ethereal form when I am on missions from the Chamber is the bedroom to invade human minds whilst they sleep.

“Here,” I turned my attention back to Cain who held a door open for me. It was a bathroom.

I stepped inside. Cain closed the door behind us.

“Take your dress off,”

I glared at him. He could fix my wings without taking my gown off.

“It’s all bloody. I can get you clean clothes until that’s washed,”

I continued to stare at him angrily.

“Oh for Pete’s sake, I won’t look!” He cried, throwing his hands up.

This human was the only way I could fix my wings. With utter disgust at revealing my bare flesh to Cain, I pulled my dress gingerly over my head.

It fell to the ground in a white heap.

His mouth fell open, eyes growing wide.

Before he could speak, I spoke first, “You said you wouldn’t look,”

He clamped his jaw shut, eyes darting up to my own, “Yeah, well…You didn’t tell me you didn’t have underwear on,”

Underwear?

Starlight

After Cain had explained to me the purpose of underwear, he proceeded to fix my wings.

He straightened the bones, oh so gently, but it still hurt like the fires of the sixth dimension.

He put them in splints, medicating them and wrapping them in gauze, and then showed me to the guest room.

“You can sleep in here for tonight. My parents won’t be home till later. Don’t make a sound and don’t come out till I tell you to,” He ordered, turning to leave the room.

“Cain,” I called after him softly.

He paused, looking back over his shoulder.

“Thank you,”

He nodded in reply, exiting the room.

As soon as he was gone, I raced to the window, throwing it open.

The sweet Earth air filled my lungs, relieving my overwhelming sense of claustrophobia.

Stars twinkled down merrily as though they were winking at me.

I grinned, resisting the childish urge to wave at them.

There were few here, because of the city lights, but it was still enjoyable to see them.

We had stars in Nevae, but they weren’t truly stars like the ones on Earth.

Ours were large glowing orbs which moved slowly across the night.

They were living creatures with long wispy tentacles and a mouth that opened and closed like a fish’s.

Here, they were burning balls of fire and gas.

It fascinated me to no end that we only had one such fiery sphere while Earth had many.

Cable cars moved along the hilly streets far off, their headlights causing the track before them to gleam in the darkness.

Exhaustion tugged at my eyelids, distracting me from the sight of the human city before me.

Staggering to the bed, I collapsed onto it, falling asleep the moment my body hit the mattress.

***

Light streamed onto my face from Earth’s closest star, known as the Sun. I pried my eyes open, peering out through half closed lids.

The room was bathed in golden sunlight. A cat figurine’s jeweled eyes on the bedside table glittered, reminding me of the stars the night before.

I sat up stiffly, rubbing my aching shoulders. I was beginning to feel the pain of my fall. Bruises decorated my arms and legs.

Groaning, I wandered to the bathroom adjacent to the room, running the hot water.

I splashed a handful onto my face, wiping the filth from my pale skin.

I caught sight of my reflection.

My hair was a mess, frizzed up in all directions. Bruises and cuts were all over me, my bandaged wings sticking straight out as though they were made of something heavier than my feathers, skin, and hollow bones.

And I was still naked.

I walked back to the bedroom. My dress was spread out on the bed as though it had magically appeared. The door was open a crack �" Cain had been here.

I picked up my dress, slipping it over my head.

The low V in the back allowed my wings to poke through, the light material not bothering my injuries whatsoever.

I twirled around for a moment, enjoying the feeling of the air on my bare legs.

“You’re having fun I see,”

I stopped twirling.

Cain was standing there, leaning against the door, his arms folded. How long had he been there? Had he seen my bare skin once more?

“I suppose,” I replied casually.

He shrugged nonchalantly.

“Is it safe to leave the room?” I asked, peering over Cain into the hallway beyond.

“My parents left for work this morning. No worries,” He flashed me a winning smile.

I tried my best to cover up my blush. He really was a handsome boy.

My stomach made the oddest noise.

I stared down at it in surprise.

This had never happened before…

Cain laughed, “What’s the matter, never been hungry before?”

This dimension was getting stranger and stranger….

Apples and Cats

I inspected the red apple Cain had offered me, turning it over and over in my hands. Guardians did not require consumption of food. We gained all our energy from the rift in Nevae leading to the fifth dimension.

I sank my teeth into it, breaking through its thin skin. The sweet juice ran into my mouth, sliding down my throat.

I swallowed a bite of the white meat of the fruit.

"So?" Cain asked. He had been watching me curiously as I had attempted to eat.

"Scrumptious!" I cried with delight, taking another mouthful of the apple.

He laughed, shaking his head, "You are one strange girl,"

I glared at him, "I am not human, Cain Davis,"

He eyed my wings, nodding, "I can see that,"

I noticed he had slung his backpack over his shoulder, "Going somewhere?"

He fingered the strap of the backpack, "Yeah, it's Monday. I gotta go to school,"

I stared down at the half eaten apple in my hands. It's gleaming surface reflected the light coming from the kitchen window.

"I have to stay here, don't I?" I murmured.

"Yeah,"

We stood in silence for a moment. The clock I had heard yesterday ticked away, counting the seconds dutifully. Something furry rubbed against my legs, breaking the moment.

I looked down to see...

"Demon!" I cried, leaping away.

Cain roared with laughter, "Him? Nah, that's Martin. He's my cat,"

The animal regarded me curiously, its tail twitching back and forth as though it had a mind of its own.

I knelt to study it. It resembled a demon, but it had a nose and a triangular face. Martin's pelt was a dark ebony, slightly iridescent, reminding me of Vivian's black wings.

I reached out a hand cautiously. He rubbed his pink wet nose on it, an odd rumbly noise coming from his throat. I laughed as his whiskers tickled my skin.

The front door opened. I stood to see that Cain stood there, pulling his shoes on.

"You're leaving?"

He nodded, "I already missed the bus, I'm going to be late for school if I don't catch a cable car heading downtown,"

I didn't understand half of his words, but I nodded in reply all the same. He flashed me a smile before closing the door behind him, leaving me alone in the house.

I glanced down at Martin who let out a noise that sounded like 'Mrow,'

"I suppose its just you and me, hmm?" He rubbed against my legs once more.

Me and the cat, alone, together.

Satan's Soldiers

I stroked Martin's head, watching the glowing box with increasing fascination. I had found it in the living room. It had taken me fifteen minutes to figure out how to use it, pressing random switches and buttons around the square face.

It had sprung to life, a man appearing.

He pointed to a map behind him, talking about rain that was coming.

He could predict the weather.

I soon became bored with it, and found that if I pressed a certain button, I could change the image.

'Angels are typically associated with....'

I stopped pressing the button. The glass surface of the box displayed a drawing of a Guardian on the page of an old book.

'Lucifer fell from heaven and became the Devil,'

The image changed to a demonic creature with black bat-like wings. His face was humanoid, but his body was that of a demon. I shuddered reflexively. The informative narrative went on to describe 'Hell', or the sixth dimension, and how the souls of dead humans burned there in eternal damnation.

I turned away until the voice changed the subject,

'Guardian angels are said to guide mortals in their everyday lives,'

That peaked my interest. I scooted closer to the glass from my position on the carpeted floor.

'There have been many sightings of these beings over the years. Most describe leading the subject away from danger, or helping them home when they find themselves lost,'

The imagery changed to a man who was the one speaking. He was standing along a garden path, a stone sculpture of an 'angel' beside him.

'Thank you for watching, I'm Ben Hope and I hope to see you next time on 'Supernatural Truth'

The box faded to black, white words appearing. I turned the glowing box off. So that is what humans thought of Guardians.

Martin looked up at me curiously as though questioning why I had shut off the device.

Standing, I wandered to the kitchen to fetch another apple. There came a knock at the door. I jumped in fear, startling Martin who hissed angrily. Creeping to the door as quietly as possible, I put my eye to the peephole. It was a group of teenage boys. They wore black and had tattoos all up and down their arms. Some had strange hairstyles in unnatural colors.

One of them rapped his knuckles on the door again, "Come on Cain! We know you're in there!"

I pulled away from the tiny round spyhole in shock. They knew someone was inside and assumed it was Cain, home from school.

I turned the lock on the door, hoping it would keep them out. I was wrong.

The window by the door shattered inwards from the edge of a sharp axe. I reached behind me, shoving my wings down so that my body hid them. It hurt terribly to do so, but better hurting them again than a human discovering what I was.

"Well, well, well," The leader of the group stepped through the broken glass, walking towards me. His hair was bright red in what I would soon learn was called a 'mohawk'. He had a black shirt on with a white skull imprinted on it, demonic fire swirled around the image.

"What do we have here?" He tilted my chin up to look at him.

I backed up until my wings were pressed against the book shelf behind me. I prayed that he wouldn't see them.

I hoped Cain would come home soon before these people tore me apart.

Human Saviour

They had torn my clothes off, dubbing me a 'freak' because of my wings. The fools didn't see what I was, thank the Lord. On the other hand, this didn't stop them from hurting me.

They had proceeded to sexually abuse me, their tongues sliding inside my mouth as they kissed me forcefully. My body ached from the pain as they pushed me up against the wall in turn.

Their hard hands bruised my arms and legs, teeth biting into my flesh. They were like demons, horrid human-faced demons. I thought I would soon die.

The door crashed open, startling my captives.

"Fang! What the hell did you do to her?" Cain stormed inside, his eyes blazing with fury.

The leader who wore a red mohawk stood from his position on top of me, grinning cruelly, "We didn't do anything bad. We were just playing with your freaky doll-face babe is all,"

The others nodded their agreement, some calling out, "Yeah. Yep. Absoloutely,"

Cain reared back his fist, slamming it into Fang's nose. Blood spattered across my skin as the devilish human collapsed to the floor, howling in pain.

I stood shakily, spreading my wings as best I could. The others shuffled backwards in fear. I suppose they hadn't realized I could move my odd appendages. Summoning the last of my strength, I formed a bolt of energy between my palms.

"Leave this place," I hissed, displaying the crackling white which tingled across my skin.

They scrambled out of the house, tripping over one another in their hurry to leave. Fang rose groggily from the floor, clutching his broken nose. Staring wide eyed at me, he stumbled out the door, muttering something about angels and demons.

The electric current I had created ceased and my strength left me. I collapsed. Cain caught me in his arms, his face nuzzling my own as he lowered me to the floor.

"I'm so sorry Iris. I should have thought about those goons,"

I could not reply. Sweet slumber lulled me into the dark.

You Have To Soar Before You Can Fly

I stood on the edge of the roof, the road far below. The wind tossed my hair behind me, snapping like a flag in the breeze.

Birds swooped above the bay in the distance, the gulls screeching wildly. I unfurled my wings ever so slowly, the splints breaking and falling to pieces to the rooftop.

I took a deep breath, and let my body tip forward. The earth rushed up to meet me, but my wings caught my fall. I glided forward, my stomach inches from the pavement.

With a giddy, nervous laugh, I beat my wings and rose above the houses, up and up into the sapphire tinted sky.

Cain whooped and hollered down below upon the roof, waving his arms to catch my attention. I banked left, coming back around towards the house. Birds flew by me, chirping and chattering their singsong greetings in a flurry of feathers.

I alighted gently upon the shingles, my wings folding behind me.

"That was incredible," Cain gasped. His eyes sparkled with awestruck wonder.

I laughed, leaping into the air. I grabbed him by the waist and carried him upwards. He screamed and flailed at first, then relaxed.

"Please don't drop me," He cried, his arms clutching my own.

I burbled with laughter, "Never,"

The King of Death

The seventh dimension.

Few know of this place, and fewer still wish to journey there.

Some say that Lucifer wandered there before claiming the sixth dimension as his.

It is a place that humans only just barely touch in their darkest nightmares.

Rumor has it that it is far more terrible than Hell itself.

In that cold dark lonely place where light never shines, a being awakens.

What's this? A Guardian with a human? No, no...that just won't do....

He could see her. See her laughing, flying with the boy.

Everyone knows what happens when Guardians come to Earth....

The creature shifted itself as slowly as it could, so He would not see. It materialized in the first dimension, a land of grey - colorless and filled with the ghosts of the dead.

The being's form took that of a fallen Guardian, bat-like wings arcing behind him. He smiled, flicking his black bangs out of his face, revealing his bright red eyes.

The spirits gathered around him, moaning, releasing their agony upon him. The fallen soothed them, stroking their ethereal fire. They ceased in their cries, bowing before their leader. He stood tall, pointed tail stirring the dust upon the ground.

Skin as red as blood, teeth sharp and black.

Prepare yourself Iris.

A forked tongue darted between his maroon lips, tasting the deadened air.

The King of Death arises......

Cable Car Incident

It was a bright sunny day in San Francisco. The cable cars trundled along, their bright red paint gleaming.

Mr. Wong was heading to work aboard one such cable car. He lived in Chinatown, the largest Chinatown outside of Asia. Mr. Wong was proud of his heritage and looked down upon his fellow Americans in disgust - the young Chinatown citizens who practiced Western culture doings and did not pay respect to their elders, and the white Americans who poked fun at the Chinese.

Mr. Wong wouldn't have a need to worry about these dilemmas any longer. A clawed hand reached up from the ground, fastening itself to the front of the cable car. It had burst straight through the concrete as though it were made of cardboard.

The passengers screamed as they were thrown forward, sparks flying from the track as the car ground to a halt. A little girl began to cry, clinging to her mother's leg, shaking in fear.

Another arm, and another broke through the road and clung to the cable car. The creatures arose, burrowing up and out of the ground. They had red skin and black eyes, white pointed teeth glinting in the light of day. Someone cried out 'gremlins', while yet another named them correctly - demons.

Mr. Wong cursed as he picked himself up from the floor of the cable car, pushing his way through the throng to the edge. Two demons chattered to each other in indecipherable clicks and whistles, eyeing the passengers as though they were sizing them up.

The largest of the two sprang upon the little girl. He sank his teeth into her flesh, tearing his claws into her face. Blood sprayed crimson. Her mother screamed, beating at the creature with her purse. All that was left of the girl was a mangled heap of bones and flesh, the tattered remains of her dress hanging from the demon's jowls.

Mr. Wong prayed that the creatures wouldn't harm his wife and his son, safe at home, and closed his eyes. He did not want to see his own death.

He hoped it would come swiftly.

Foster

"Cain! I'm home early!"

Cain and I leaped to our feet, Martin dumped unceremoniously off of my lap in the process. He meowed in protest, stalking off haughtily. I was out in the open, my wings exposed, and Cain's mother was about to walk into the living room. My attempts to fold them against my back were halfhearted and feeble. It was too late.

The woman had blonde hair and blue eyes, square glasses perched on the end of her nose. I was reminded of a librarian.

Her mouth fell open, purse falling from her hand to the floor with a thud.

"Cain?" Her voice was hoarse. It was as if she had swallowed the contents of an hourglass.

"She was hurt. What was I supposed to do? Leave her outside to die?" Cain managed to ask. Such a brave soul, that one.

I said nothing. My eyes flicked back and forth between mother and son, waiting for her verdict.

"What the hell is it?"

I was half tempted to retort back with, "No, what in heaven is it, is what you meant to say, is it not?" But I held my tongue, biting my bottom lip. One of my wings twitched involuntarily because every muscle in my body was tense and anxious.

"I am a Guardian," I blurted out, breaking the awful silence, "I come from a place called Nevaeh. You call us angels,"

I must've looked quite pathetic, standing there with my wings bloodied and broken, tattered remains of bandages hanging from them. I had unwrapped them slightly because they had almost healed, despite my encounter with the human devils who had 'raped' me as Cain put it. Stray feathers drifted to the floor as we spoke, gleaming blue in the sunlight which spilled from the window.

Mrs. Davis stared at me as though I would disappear in a flurry of wings and feathers at any moment. Her eyes roved over my entire body, taking in my injured wings and blue hair.

"She can stay until she can fly or whatever. Then she goes," Cain's mother announced, turning to leave the living room.

"I appreciate your kindness Mrs. Davis!" I called after her. She froze.

Her back stiffened.

I had obviously said the wrong thing. She looked over her shoulder, back at Cain and I.

"Obviously Cain has chosen to lie to yet another of his friends. I am not his mother. I am his foster mother."

What is a 'foster mother'?

Author's Note

My Protagonize account: http://www.protagonize.com/author/VictoriaGlass

Note:
I realize now that I named the leader of the gang the name 'Fang'. He is in no way connected to my other story of the same name. Sorry for any confusion

Reviews

[The Invisible Girl]

This is really good! Very well written. Can't wait for the next part!

[Jasmine Thousand]

Can't wait for the next part!!!
~Jasmine Thousand~

[Ursula Kay Vos]

Great story, I am eager to see what the next part holds :) Welcome to Writers Cafe!
Collette

[Sylvia E. Lioness]

Dieing for the next chapter. Completely addicted to this story. Hope the next part come out soon!